Guide to Cyber Security Essentials for Students

1. Introduction

• Importance of cybersecurity for students:
  • Protects personal information and academic data.
  • Prevents cyberbullying and online scams.

2. Safe Online Practices

• Safe browsing habits for students:
  • Use reputable websites for research.
  • Avoid clicking on suspicious links or ads.
• Staying safe on social media:
  • Enable privacy settings.
  • Be cautious about sharing personal information.

3. Protecting Personal Data

• Protecting your personal data on campus:
  • Use strong, unique passwords for all accounts.
  • Keep personal devices secure with passwords and encryption.
• Using public Wi-Fi securely:
  • Avoid accessing sensitive information over public Wi-Fi.
  • Use a VPN for secure connections.

4. Cyber Threats Awareness

• Cyberbullying: identification and prevention:
  • Recognise signs of cyberbullying.
  • Report incidents to trusted adults or authorities.
• Understanding ransomware:
  • Avoid downloading files from unknown sources.
  • Keep backups of important data.
• Recognising and avoiding online scams:
  • Be wary of offers that seem too good to be true.
  • Verify the legitimacy of requests for personal information.

5. Data Protection

• Importance of backing up schoolwork:
  • Regularly back up important assignments and notes.
  • Use cloud storage or external drives for backups.
• How to use antivirus software effectively:
  • Install and regularly update antivirus software.
  • Perform regular scans to detect and remove malware.

6. Career Opportunities

• Cybersecurity careers: paths and certifications:
  • Explore various cybersecurity roles (e.g., ethical hacker, security analyst).
  • Consider certifications like CompTIA Security+, CISSP, and CEH.